Family Bonding
by Iris of Darkness2113
Summary: Set in an AU set after Love never dies. Nobody is dead, and Christine's alright. Gustave wants to play. Erik is his target, Christine plays as well! What will happen read and find out. REVIEWS PLEASE


**Second fic, I've wrote today! It is 11:30 p.m., and I am writing my first ever Phantom of The Opera fanfic! If I don't finish tonight, even though it's a oneshot, I'll finish it tomorrow if I'm not too tired. The idea for this fic, not only came from my own mind, but from a good friend who is a big phangirl, who gave me some of the idea. Takes place in an AU, set after "Love Never Dies" No-one is dead, and Christine and Gustave live with Erik as a family. Gustave wants to play, and Erik is the target. Christine joins in too! What will happen? Read and find out! Phantom of the opera does not belong to me! **

It was about a week after the horrid shooting accident. Christine was alright, a bit shaken, but alright. Now she and Gustave lived where they needed to be: With Erik. Erik was happy to be with Christine again and more importantly with his son. At first Erik was shocked that Christine had conceived his own son, but he grew accepting of the boy, and a slow but, sure bond was growing between the two. Late one morning Gustave was out in the backyard, running around doing this and that, while Erik and Christine watched from the kitchen window. Erik had just finished eating breakfast, and Christine was doing the dishes. Erik looked at her from where he sat. "What is it?" Christine asked. "Something wrong?" Erik shook his head. "No… it's just that…" his voice trailed off. "Just what, darling?" Christine inquired. "I still can't believe you survived that gun-shot wound." Erik replied, solemnly. "Oh Erik, is that what's been bothering you, these last few days?" Christine said, concerned, yet happy knowing she was cared for. Erik said nothing. "Darling I told you, don't worry about me, I'm fine. Besides I keep telling you not to dwell on it anyway" she said, kissing the top of Erik's head. Erik gave a small smile. "You're right Christine, dwelling on it, will not help matters."

It was then they both heard Gustave's voice call out to them: "Mama! Papa! Come out!" Erik and Christine walked out, and Gustave ran up to them. "Will you play with me? I don't wanna keep playing by myself. It's lonesome" Gustave said, quietly. Christine nodded at Erik. It would certainly help them bond more as a family. Christine smiled at her son. "Of course we will dear" she said, lovingly. "Yay!" Gustave yelled happily. Gustave tapped Erik's arm lightly. "Tag! You're it!" Gustave said, laughingly, before running in the opposite direction. Erik looked at Christine, confused. Christine couldn't help but laugh. "You have to chase after Gustave and me" she explained. "You tap one of us, and whoever you tap is it." "Alright then, _you're_ it!" Erik said, tapping Christine's arm. Erik sprinted in the same direction that Gustave went. "Hey!" Christine cried, laughingly. "Not me! Erik!" Christine took off, in hot pursuit of her son and husband. Eventually she caught up with them both. "Uh-oh" Gustave said, eyes wide, seeing Christine coming around the corner. "Run!" Erik shouted. Gustave ran in the same direction as Erik, but soon Christine caught him. "You're it!" she cried running away, quickly. But that was ok. Because this time Erik was his target. Gustave ran around both the front and back yard looking for Erik, and eventually saw him. Erik darted around the corner, so did Gustave. Erik hid in some bushes nearby. He was nowhere to be seen. "Since when did this become a game of Hide N Seek?" Gustave called out. Christine came bounding from the front yard.

"Oh so he's hiding is he?" Christine asked, smirking. Gustave nodded. "Well don't you worry" Christine said, dropping her voice to a whisper. "I'll let him have it, when I find him!" Gustave giggled, and began searching for Erik, alongside Christine. Gustave had to wonder though: What did his mother mean when she said she would let his father have it when she found him? He was about to ask that, when sudden movement from the bushes, signaled Erik. Erik darted out, and sprinted across the front lawn. "There he is Mama! I see him!" Gustave cried, excitedly. Christine turned, and followed. Gustave only watched, he was out of breath from running so much. Erik cut a sharp corner, but Christine ran the opposite way, and had almost caught him, when he took off sprinting, once more. Eventually Christine caught him, and grabbed him. Gustave came around the corner, and watched. "Now I've got you" Christine said, panting. "You put up _quite_ the chase, but I've got you, and you are in some big trouble, Mr. Opera Ghost!" "Me?" Erik asked, innocently. "But whatever did I do?" Gustave stood there giggling. "Papa's no opera ghost, Mama!" Gustave cried. "He once was, remember?" Christine said. "Oh that's right!" Gustave replied. When Christine was recovering, Erik decided he would tell Gustave about the events that took place at the Opera house. Erik would never forget what Gustave told him, before the boy hugged him: "It's alright Papa, it happened a long time ago, and Mama says to not think about the past. But I would never stop loving Papa" Gustave hugged his father, and Erik almost cried, out of knowing his child loved him, and no longer feared his face. Still Erik sometimes wore the mask, out of habit. Sometimes he became uncharacteristically shy, and wouldn't take it off at all. Sometimes it took some coaxing from Christine and Gustave. Erik would take it off, after a few minutes of encouragement from his small family. Erik was wearing the mask, while they played, but Gustave thought that made him look amazing, when running. Christine and Erik put their hands palm-to-palm, and were pushing each-other, seeing if Christine could overpower Erik. "You really think you can take me down, my dear?" Erik said, laughing. "Yes I do!" Christine replied, pushing harder.

Erik pushed with greater strength, and Christine's feet began to skid on the ground. Christine after a few seconds, slid to the ground. She looked up Erik, with a fake pout. Erik chuckled, and sat down next to her. "You should know, not to take on The Phantom of the Opera" Erik said, smiling that: I-just-took-down-my-wife-in-front-of-my-son smile. "I wouldn't speak to Mama like that! Or else!" Gustave warned playfully. "Or else what?" Erik teased. "Do you _really _want to find out?" Christine asked, smiling that: I'm-going-to-make-you-find-out evil smile. Erik got up to run, and Christine jumped up, and grabbed him, then somehow pinned him to the ground. Erik struggled, and tried to get out of her grip, but Christine had a surprising strong grip. "You're mine now" Christine teased. "What could _you_ do, that's so horrible?" Erik teased back. Christine smiled. With a free hand she poked Erik's stomach. He stifled a laugh. She poked his side, provoking a laugh this time. "Not that Christine! You know I _hate_ that that!" Gustave giggled, now his mother was letting his father have it. "Oh? Is The Phantom actually _begging?_" Christine asked, in mock disbelief. "I don't beg, I- Christine!" Erik cried, being cut off in mid-sentence laughing, when Christine began tickling him intentionally. "What was that about not begging?" Christine asked, laughingly. Erik continued to laugh, as she tickled his stomach. "Get him, Mama! Get him!" Gustave cheered. "I told I would didn't I?" she replied. Gustave went to Christine's side to watch. Gustave soon joined in, tickling Erik's sides. "Not you as well!" Erik cried, now practically squirming, trying to get away from his tormenters. "Oh no you don't!" Christine said, tickling him a little quicker. "No!" Erik cried, laughing harder. Gustave laughed, and copied his mother. "Now you've got Gustave's mind poisoned!" Erik said, in between laughs. "You're exactly right!" Christine agreed, teasing him. Erik tried pushing their hands away, but that obviously wasn't working.

"Are you going to give up?" Gustave teased. "Never!" Erik cried, still trying to get away. Erik finally, at last, got one arm free, and started tickling them. Gustave yelped, and jumped out of the way. Christine wasn't lucky though. "E-Erik!" Christine cried, laughing. "Erik please!" she begged, laughing still. "Now _who's_ begging for mercy?" Erik teased. "I'll save you Mama!" Gustave cried. Gustave jumped on Erik's back, and tickled him, as quick as he possibly could. Erik gave a startled cry, and started laughing. "At least my son helps me!" Christine said, finally free. Gustave stop tickling Erik, and the family sat down to take a break. "Next time it's going to be you two!" Erik playfully warned them. "Right" Christine scoffed. "If Gustave and I got you today, we can get you anytime!" Erik blushed slightly. "You know how much I hate it when you do that" Erik said. "Do what? This?" Christine asked tickling him again. "Yes! Don't do that!" Erik cried, laughing. Christine obeyed. Christine drew Gustave into her lap, and stroked his hair. "You look tired, dear" she observed. Gustave shook his head. "I'm not tired at all" he replied. But in a few seconds Gustave, fell asleep in her arms. Christine and Erik exchanged smiles. Christine laid Gustave in his bed to sleep. Erik sat in the living room reading, and Christine began making lunch. She was happy that Erik and Gustave bonded. Perhaps after Gustave's nap, and after lunch they just may play some more.

**That's it! I hope you guys liked it! Please review!**


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